WORLD FOOD DAY MESSAGE:

 

After 44 years of Independence, and having gone through long periods of wanton destructions that literary affected every living soul (1970s and early 1980s), Uganda, building on achievements of the last 20 years of NRM rule, still boasts of one of the most unique cultural and natural heritage, regionally and globally.

 

Uganda , spanning a total surface area of 236,040 Km2, of which 199,710 Km2 (84.6%) is land and 36,330 Km2 (15.4%) water, is a landlocked country with a total boundary of 2,698 Km; shared with DRC - 765Km, Kenya - 933Km, Rwanda - 169 Km , Sudan 435Km and Tanzania - 396Km).

 

The country, freshly branded "Gifted by Nature", is charaterised by one of the most diverse natural drainage system and scenic physical features, unique assemblages of pristine ecosystems, plant and animal species, and a vibrant and fast growing economy. Human population, now over 27 million of warm hospitable peoples (population growth rate of 3.31%), is with diverse, rich and well developed cultures and traditions, with a very remarkable variety of languages, economies and social organisations, whose histories are closely interrelated in many areas.

 

The drainage system comprises many lakes, rivers and wetlands of all sizes.

 

These include a big part of Lake Victoria - the second largest inland and fresh water lake in the world, (with over 84 highly scenic Islands inside Uganda ), and Lake Bunyonyi which is characterized by a highly scenic spectacle and is reported the second deepest crater lake in the world.

 

The lake, one of Uganda 's Nature Lover's delight, is one of the areas experiencing the fastest tourism activities but without specific interventions yet in creating conditions to sustain the current growth, and provide basic tourism support infrustructure, eg water transport and a Tourism Development Plan. Uganda is host to the actual source of the legendary River Nile; as the part where the waters of Lake Victoria form a definite flow that become the Victoria Nile and subsequently leads into the Albert Nile .

 

This constitutes the longest River in the world, which has served a historical source of livelihood and inspiration for development of humanity, and is associated with one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The region of the Great Lakes, in which the Rwenzori is situated, were occupied by a different societies in the pre-colonial period, many of whom are reported to have at some stage achieved a remarkable degree of political complexity and cultural sophistication by the 19th century, with tendency towards centralization.

 

Considering vegetation of the whole of Africa and the associated natural ecological processes, life support and environmental functions, many more of the vegetation (bio-geographical) zones of Africa converge on Uganda , compared to any other country. Of great significance in this is that the convergence is associated with natural attributes which are found and actually regarded as unique for most of the surrounding countries.

 

The convergence unbelievably, increases the types of natural ecological systems and habitats for Uganda , which in their diversity and richness equally constitute suitable niches to a comparatively very high number of species of both plants and animals for the country's size.

 

Regionally, the topography of the country (geo-morphological), presents a unique setup of a general plateau, with a rim of high mountains; with the lowest point ( Lake Albert ) at 621m and the highest (Margherita of Rwenzori Mountains) at 5,110m. The occurrence of altitudinal changes lead to further topographical dynamics in time and space, and therefore a multiplicity of the ecosystems, habitats and climate.

 

Ultimately this further enhances the natural endowment; with unique scenic set-ups, rare, endemic, restricted species and ecological processes and life support functions of conservation concern.

 

Rwenzori Mountains , the mythical permanently snow-caped mountains of the moon at the equator, was once described by Ptolemy as source of the Nile . Luigi Amedeo of Savoy, who during his 1906 expedition to the highest point, described it as vast mountainous massif of topography, geology and biodiversity features in an environment unique in the African continent.

 

The magnificent mountain ranges provide extra-ordinary enhancing effect of diversification of the ecological processes and life support function of the regions natural environment; is home to a host of unique species, offers climatic moderation and is a source of livelihood to Bakonzo and the Banande, who are quoted as closely bound with a form of common ecological and economical adaptation to the unique mountainous environment. Key of the other high altitude mountains are Elgon, Virunga Volcanoes and Kadam.

 

Uniquely, for its relatively very small size, Uganda is host to a population of 5,950 Chimpanzee next to man in evolution, at least 50% of the global population of the rare and endangered Mountain Gorillas, over 1,010 species of birds (11% of worlds total), and over 4,600 plant species.

 

While much of Uganda's natural resources are protected by law, of which wildlife conservation areas constitute about 10% of Uganda's land surface, a lot of wildlife heritage still remain on forests and other ecosystems outside Wildlife Conservation Areas. Some of these are endemic to Uganda , others are regionally endemic (including Uganda ); i.e. globally not found else where.

 

In co-existence with the above ecological set-up, and the associated stable and mild climatic conditions all year around, there exists a well developed and vibrant culture and tradition institutions of the indigenous Ugandan communities, dating far back in history.

 

Coupled with the ubiquitous hospitality of the Ugandan people, the country abounds with a genuine, sensational and unusual tourist destination experience for a visitor seeking reassurance with mother-nature. Sir Winston Churchill (1908) rightly described this as the Pearl of Africa, close to 100 years ago; and his words go as follows:.

 

My journey is at an end, the tale is told, and the reader who has followed so faithfully and so far has a right to ask what message I bring back. It can be stated in three words.

 

"Concentrate upon Uganda !" But it is alive by itself. It is vital; and in my view, in spite of its insects and its diseases, it ought in the course of time to become the most prosperous of all our Eastern and Central African possessions, and perhaps the "financial driving wheel of all this part of the World!" My counsel plainly is – Concentrate upon Uganda ! Nowhere else in Africa will a little money go so far. Nowhere else will the results be more brilliant, more substantial or more rapidly realised.

 

Uganda is from end to end to end one Beautiful garden, where the staple food of the people grows almost without labor.

 

Does it not sound like a paradise on earth? It is the Pearl of Africa (From My African Journey By Winston S. Churchhill 1908 UGANDA)

 

The Brand is NOW Changed!!

 

Since October 2005, and through a national Branding consultative program, the new Brand for Uganda is:

 

"Gifted by Nature"